Labor to grow community gardens

ACT Labor will fund 10 extra community gardens across Canberra if re-elected in October.

There are already 14 community gardens in the ACT allowing residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Environment Minister Simon Corbell says Labor will provide $200,000 over four years to build 10 new gardens on public land in established suburbs

"It's about community, it's about recognising that people can get engaged with their local neighbourhood, get to know people in their neighbourhood, do the productive and often soothing aspect of community garden work," he said.

"There's also of course the opportunities that come from local food production."

Some of the current community gardens are so popular they have more than 100 people on their waiting lists.

"It provides opportunities that perhaps don't exist in (residents') own backyards in terms of space, and it also allows gardeners to work together learning skills of the trade, learning how to grow food locally and take advantage of that home-grown produce," Mr Corbell said.